Do you need on-premise servers with the cloud?

These days, the cloud has it all sewn up, right? Why spend out on expensive infrastructure when you can port your data and services to the cloud, with everything in place and everything up and running in minutes? If you’re primarily online, the guarantees of a certain level of uptime can be a powerful argument in favour of the cloud too, so do you need on-premise servers with the cloud?

Cloud-only is not necessarily the best option for your business. Let’s examine how owning your own in-house server could prove to be a better fit.

Do you need on-premise servers with the cloud? – Security

One of the most critical reasons for picking your own on-premise server is security. How much can you trust the cloud with your – and your customers’ – data? Keeping the data stored locally ensures only you have access to this information. An additional benefit is that the data is immediate and always accessible – even when your internet connection (or cloud provider) isn’t working.

A related benefit for those who wish to stay in control is that you remain in physical control of your backups. If something goes wrong, you can also restore your data without having to factor in the costs of data recovery – unless uptime and speed of recovery are critical, this could be a major cost-saving.

Speaking of costs, while you must factor in the capital investment in your hardware, you’ll save money in the long run and improve cashflow by not tying yourself into an expensive monthly contract.

Do you need on-premise servers with the cloud? – Flexibility

Tied in with the cost benefits is the fact you’re in control of your server’s growth. Start small and add extra storage, memory or processing power as your needs change without breaking the bank. ASUS provides a range of server solutions – both tower and rack-mounted – that are all designed to be expanded – its entry-level TS100-P9-PI4 for SMB users provides a good idea of how flexible they are.

More pointedly, your local server will always outperform a cloud-based solution – not simply because you have direct access to the hardware, but because you’re not relying on the speed of your internet connection for access to your data, apps and services.

Another way in which your in-house server scores points over a cloud solution is that you have complete control over how to set it up and what to install on it – instead of being limited by what a cloud provider can offer, you’re able to go beyond its services and install a wider range of apps and services – and if necessary, develop your own personalised solutions to precisely match your requirements.

Do you need on-premise servers with the cloud? – Pick a hybrid solution

There’s often no black-and-white answer to the question of whether to choose cloud or on-premises – both have their pros and cons. With this in mind, why not combine both? For example, you’d keep your server local, but back up your data to the cloud for a remote, off-site backup, protecting you against fire or theft. If you go down this route, choose an option with end-to-end encryption to maximise the security of your data online. You might also mix and match services too, helping you balance the demands on your server by offloading certain off-the-shelf services such as email or an online technical help desk.

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